Re: Let's Play! Utena, Round 2: Don't Get in Cars With Strangers

(Meh. Anyone who's played through the game once knows D-ko is no Dios. There's a difference between trying to help one fellow classmate and going out of your way to turn every female in the world into a codependent wreck.)

Just to clarify something Dalbun briefly mentioned earlier, it's impossible to lose points when talking to any Duelist except for Chigusa. You can treat say, Saionji, as badly as you want in your dialogue options and he'll only start hating you when Chigusa decides it's time for him to hate you.

Boyfriend. It's ok, she'll acknowledge the existence of her girlfriend in the end.

Question for Dalbun: How many percentage points is each rose point on the screen worth?

Last edited by Nights1stStar (01-26-2010 07:41:29 PM)

"To copulate is to enter another...and the artist never emerges from herself."-Charles Bauldelaire

Re: Let's Play! Utena, Round 2: Don't Get in Cars With Strangers

Nights1stStar wrote:

Question for Dalbun: How many percentage points is each rose point on the screen worth?

Man, good question. I really don't understand how the points work at all, but as far as I could tell last time, the roses don't actually stand for any consistent number of points. At the very least, when Chigusa steals points, she "takes" the same number of roses from everyone, but the exact number of points stolen varies from character to character by a shockingly large margin. I guess I never checked to see if that was the case when we gain points, too.

I'm curious now. From now on, I'm going to track the exact number of points we gain or lose every time the game shows us a rose meter. Let's see if any patterns emerge.

D-ko:Hey, Utena.

Utena:What?

D-ko:Utena, do you have a boyfriend?

Utena:N, no, I don't!

Wakaba:Oh yeah? What about that prince you're always talking about?

Utena:Mind your own business, Wakaba!

Wakaba:Well, don't lie to this poor new transfer student, then.

Utena:Fine, fine.

As a fan of the Utena parody dub "Dance Dance Revolution," you have no idea how much I wanted to translate that "mind your own business" line as "fuck off, Wakaba."

(Music: The Sunlit Garden - Illusion, D1T16)

Utena:A long time ago, there was this guy who saved me when I was really sad and alone.

Utena:He dried my tears with a gentle kiss...

Utena:And he gave me this ring. That's my prince. I came to this school to meet him.

But was that really such a good idea?

Actually, really? Utena came to Ohtori to meet her prince in the anime? I thought that was a manga only thing.

D-ko:Wow... I'm so surprised.For such a boyish person as Utena to be saying such girlish things...

FUZZY GENDER ROLES. D-KO'S MIND IS BLOWN.

Utena +127% -> 36% (+9%)

(Music: After School Girls, D2T11)(Sounds of students chattering.)

D-ko:Hey, what's the "Rose Bride"?I heard the term this morning.

Utena:Uh... that's...

Anthy:That's me.

D-ko:Huh?

Anthy:Whoever wins the duels becomes engaged to me, and can obtain the power to revolutionize the world.

Utena:H... hold on, Himemiya!It it okay for you to just freely talk about that stuff?

Anthy:It's fine.

D-ko:Duels? (You mean like where you meet up and hack away at each other?)

Anthy:Yes. Using swords, whoever manages to knock the rose from their opponent's chest wins.

D-ko:You can't be serious.

Utena:I know, right? Isn't that how any normal person would react?

D-ko:So... that guy from this morning also...?

Anthy:Saionji-sempai was Utena's opponent in a previous duel.Since then, I've been engaged to her.

D-ko:Duels? Rose Bride? The Power to Revolutionize the World?It looks like I might have accidentally fallen in with some really dangerous people!(Maybe I should back off before I get in too deep?)Here goes...

CHOICE:I want to become engaged tooChange the subjectTry making a joke (+1 SECRET ANTHY POINT)

I think Anthy is the only person in the series who likes truly terrible jokes. Somehow that isn't too surprising.

Re: Let's Play! Utena, Round 2: Don't Get in Cars With Strangers

Wait...both of the game guides I read said that "saying you want to be engaged" gains you the Anthy point...I mean, that's the one which makes the most sense, b/c it puts you on Anthy's radar that you're a potential prey (er, I meant opportunity) So...confused...

Either way, I pick Change the subject. B/c the joke wouldn't be funny if it was a foreign pun, and anyone who chases after Anthy as the Rose Bride automatically becomes a victim. We can't get the Anthy ending, anyways, so it's not like it's a loss.

Last edited by Nights1stStar (01-27-2010 04:58:25 AM)

"To copulate is to enter another...and the artist never emerges from herself."-Charles Bauldelaire

Re: Let's Play! Utena, Round 2: Don't Get in Cars With Strangers

Nights1stStar wrote:

Wait...both of the game guides I read said that "saying you want to be engaged" gains you the Anthy point...I mean, that's the one which makes the most sense, b/c it puts you on Anthy's radar that you're a potential prey (er, I meant opportunity) So...confused...

Yeah, I'm not 100% sure, but joking is the choice that gives us the weird chiming noise that indicates an Anthy point (or so I'm given to understand). Either the guides are wrong about the choice, or the sound, and I suspect it's the former.

We can't get the Anthy ending, anyways, so it's not like it's a loss.

Actually, according to Ozma, we can (and I'd trust Ozma, she has seriously strong fairy magic). I haven't checked myself or anything, though.

Re: Let's Play! Utena, Round 2: Don't Get in Cars With Strangers

SleepDebtFairy wrote:

I kind of want to pick change the subject just to see who you get points from for that

Actually, so far, I've been spoiling the point-gain results of every choice. (Nothing written after the selection means that it doesn't give anything to my knowledge.) Should I keep that up?

"Make a joke"?

Why would you people do this to me? And to yourselves? And to D-ko?

D-ko:(If you had two duels, it would be dual duels!)...um, was that not funny?

(Translator's note: it wasn't.)

Utena:Yeah, you probably think this is a joke.

D-ko:It isn't?

Utena:Unfortunately, it's the truth.There aren't many of them, but those Student Council people seem really serious about it.They say they're going to get the power to revolutionize the world.

D-ko:Huh...

Utena:But, you probably shouldn't talk about this to anyone else.If a new transfer student started talking about stuff like that,people would probably misunderstand and think you're dangerous.

D-ko:I guess so. I'll be careful.

I didn't translate D-ko's joke faithfully, mostly because I have absolutely no idea what she was trying to say. However, I'm pretty sure it was even lamer than mine. Go ahead and reflect on that for a moment.

Meanwhile, off to the side of our table, Kozue is apparently chatting with some orange-haired girl.

(Music: Campus Lyric, D1T6)

Wakaba:Utenaaaaaa!

D-ko:Uh, who's that...?

Anthy:Ah, it's Wakaba-san.

Utena:Hey, Wakaba! Over here, over here!

Wakaba:Man, I finally got here. The line for the B Lunch was so long!

Utena:That's why I said you should just give up!

Wakaba:But they had (mushroom tea) for desert...!

Utena:Is it good?

Wakaba:Totally! So I decided to just hold out for the B Lunch.

Utena:Huh...

Wakaba:Oh, nice to meet you! I'm Shinohara Wakaba.I'm in the same class as you, and I'm Utena's girlfriend. Nice to meet you.

D-ko:Shinohara Wakaba, huh? Compared to Utena and Anthy, she feels really normal.I'm kind of relieved.Nice to meet you, too!I still don't know much about the school, so please teach me, okay?

Wakaba:Got it!From the ways of love, to campus rumors, to the trendy local shops,just leave it to me, Shinohara Wakaba-sama!

D-ko:Thanks! If I have any problems, I'll be sure to consult with you.

(Music: Morning Lyrical, D3T3)

Teacher:...and that's our lesson for today.

Class Leader:Stand! Bow!

Wakaba:All right, we're done!

Utena:D-ko, we're heading home.

D-ko:Ah, Utena! And Anthy.

Utena:Come to think of it, you don't know what dorm you're in yet, huh?

D-ko:Right... I'm going to go meet the Chairman right now and find out.

Utena:Yeah? I guess we can't walk back together, then.

D-ko:Aww... can't I just skip the Chairman and go back with you?

Utena:But then you wouldn't know what dorm you're in.We can start walking home together starting tomorrow,but today you're on your own.

D-ko:Yeah, I guess so...Hey, where you you guys live, Utena?

Utena:Himemiya and I are in the East Dorm.We're the only ones there, so drop by any time.

D-ko:Thanks! I guess I'm off to the Chairman's, then.

(Music: A Distillation of Time, D2T10)

Akio:I'm Ohtori Akio, the Chairman of the Board... or rather, the Chairman's proxy.

D-ko:Wow, what a cool guy!When I heard "Chairman," I was expecting some preachy old guy.It seems like everything about Ohtori Academy is completely gorgeous!

Akio:You'll be living in the East Dorm, Second Floor, Room 22.Your luggage should have already arrived, I believe.

D-ko:East Dorm? That's the same as Utena!

Akio:Oh? You seem happy.

D-ko:Oh, uh... it's just that that's where some friends I made today are living.

Akio:Friends? That's good.Just by talking to others, people can lighten the burdens of their own hearts.

Akio:Here's a map of the school. Rather big, isn't it?Right now, we're here.

Akio:If you head this way, you'll see the fencing hall.It's a pretty, chalk-white building. You should notice it right away.Going this way is a short cut.

D-ko:The chalk-white Fencing Hall... just like dad said!

Akio:And this is the East Dorm.If you go this way, it should only take you about five minutes.

D-ko:Got it.Thank you very much!

"And by the way, I don't have an ocean in my heart. That's a terrible metaphor. I just wanted to make that clear from the get-go."

(Music: Legend - The God's Name is Abraxas, D1T20)

Touga:If the egg's shell does not crack, the chick will die without being born.We are the chick; the egg is the world.If the world's shell does not break, we will die without being born.Break the world's shell!For the sake of revolutionizing the world!(Translator's note: nope, everyone doesn't join in for the last line.)

Touga:It seems the East Dorm has gained a new resident.

Juri:The East Dorm, hmm?

Saionji:That's absurd.Isn't the East Dorm only supposed to be used by the Rose Bride and the One Engaged?

Man, look at Juri and Saionji's expressions. New transfer students are SERIUS BUSINESS.

Miki:However, they wouldn't be able to live there without the approval of End of the World.

Touga:Exactly.In other words, it's End of the World's will that this new person live there as well.

Touga:Then, perhaps we should invite her to this evening's masquerade ball.Any objections?

Saionji:Hmmph... do as you like.

Juri:Sounds amusing.

Miki:Okay. There are no objections, so I'll extend her an invitation to the masquerade ball under the Student Council's name. Is that all right?

Touga:Yes. Thank you, Micky.

Like I've said, Miki is probably the only one who performs any actual student council duties. I mean, Touga hosts parties, but I'll bet he leaves the planning to Nanami.

(Music: Paradise of Reminiscence, D1T14)

D-ko:Here it is... the Fencing Hall that dad described.It's a really pretty building... like a Western cathedral.The doors are huge, and the window frames are so decorated!For some reason, I feel like I'm in another world.I feel like some sightseeing yokel...Still, I guess I'll poke my head and and take a look!

D-ko:Nobody's here... I guess there's no practice today?

D-ko:Looks like they have thirty members.That's quite a few, right?I mean, my last school didn't even have a Fencing Club.This first name tag must be the club president.So the president is Sanjouin Chigusa, huh?What a great name. (It's really unusual.)Hmm? It looks like there's no name tag for the club adviser.Do they not have one?But that's strange... my dad used to be the club adviser.I guess maybe the system changed between then and now?

D-ko:Yep, looks like nobody's here.Today must be a break from practice.Huh? It looks like something is drawn on that wall.I wonder why?

CHOICE:Look at the wallLook at the calendar

Not only can you look at both of them, you have to. So... not stopping for a vote this time.

(Music: Idea of a Memory, D1T19)

D-ko:What the heck is this?If it's graffiti, it's pretty audacious.Hey, isn't this that guy from this morning?I think he was called Saionji...And this figure looks like Utena.What does it mean?Anyway, nobody's here.I guess there must not be any practice today.

CHOICE:Look at the calendar

D-ko:Man, what a tasteless calendar.The 25th is circled... I wonder if there's a match then.Wait, these dates...Isn't this calendar from fifteen years ago? Weird.Anyway, nobody's here.I guess there must not be any practice today.

D-ko:Who's this?Are they from the Fencing Club?Is it a man? Or a woman?Somehow, they're so gorgeous,I have the urge to come closer...But it's not a bad feeling.This must be the sort of person people meanwhen they say someone's "aristocratic."I guess people like this, like out of a story or a play,also exist in real life...

Chigusa:Who is it?

D-ko:Umm, my name's Kageno D-ko,I just transferred here today...

Chigusa:What did you say?...please, repeat your name.

D-ko:Don't make that scary face......Kageno D-ko.

Chigusa:Your father's name is Masaomi. (雅臣, elegant-retainer)Your mother's name is Koto? (湖都, lake-city)

D-ko:How do you...?

Chigusa:............ (sound of almost starting to say something but then stopping)

D-ko:She turned away.But isn't she still making that scary face?

Chigusa:Only club members are allowed to enter here.There are personal things kept here.You wouldn't want to be called a thief.

D-ko:A, right! I'm sorry.

(outside)D-ko:Wow, I was surprised.I guess I shouldn't just freely entered after all.Even so, that person was really beautiful...it seemed unreal.And those three from this morning...and the Chairman...Ohtori Academy really is different.

Yep, "Sanjouin Chigusa" sure is an unusual name, and that blue haired male-or-female person sure is striking. There's no way D-ko will forget both those things, and fail to connect them with the new transfer student tomorrow.

(Music: After School Girls, D2T11)

D-ko:Oh, it's Utena!Of course... when she saw my bags,she must have known I'd be living here.

Utena:Welcome to the East Dorm!

Anthy:Your bags have arrived.

D-ko:Thanks!

Utena:Your room is 22, on the second floor.It's next door to ours.

Anthy:Please, make yourself at home.

D-ko:Did you clean it for me!?

Utena:All I did was bring up your bags.Anthy's the one who cleaned it.

D-ko:Thank you, Anthy!

Anthy:You're welcome.

"It's the least I could do, after you cracked me up with that hilarious 'duel' joke."

Chu-Chu:Chuu.

(Music: Memory of an Idea, D1T19)

D-ko:Huh?

Chu-Chu:Chuu chuu.

D-ko:What's that voice?Nobody else is here...is it just my imagination?I must be pretty tired after all.

Chu-Chu:Chuuu.

D-ko:N, no, I definitely heard it...Utena, something's in this room!

Utena:Oh, right!Chu-Chu is visiting, too.Sorry, sorry!I'll introduce you. This is East Dorm's third resident, our friend...Chu-Chu.

(Music: Panorama of the Full Bloom, D2T12)

Chu-Chu:Chuu.

D-ko:So wait, the third resident is...

Utena:Yeah. It's him.

Chu-Chu:Chu chuu.

D-ko:It's a monkey... I think.Well, then...Hello, I'm Kageno D-ko.We'll be living together from today on.It's nice to meet you, Chu-Chu.

Chu-Chu:Chu chu.

Utena:Nice, Chu-Chu, you have a new friend!

Chu-Chu:Chuu.

Utena:Hey, D-ko, do you wanna come to our room and have some tea?Himemiya's preparing it for us.

Anthy:It will be done soon, Utena-sama.

D-ko:Is it okay? In that case, I guess I'll impose on you...

(Music: After School Girls, D2T11)

Anthy:By the way, this arrived from the Student Council.

D-ko:Huh, what's this? A message card? Some kind of invitation?No way it's a love letter, right?

Anthy:And this one is for you, Utena-sama.

D-ko:What about you, Anthy?

Anthy:I have one, too.

Utena:Let's see, what is this...A masquerade!?

Anthy:Yes. It says it's starting at 6 o'clock tonight,and is sponsored by the Student Council.It says transfer students should also definitely come.

D-ko:A masquerade!At my old school, we just had folk dances...The more I learn, the more it feels like this is a totally different world.

Utena:Well, that's what it says.What should we do?

D-ko:Hmmm... but I don't have any dress to wear to a ball...

Anthy:That's all right. I can lend you one.

D-ko:Eeh? Is it really okay?

Anthy:Of course.

Chu-Chu:Chuu...

Utena:Alright! If that's decided,let's get going right away.

D-ko:Yeah!

RSVPs in advance aren't necessary for Student Council parties. They know that everyone invited will show up.

(Music: bal, D5-1 T8)

D-ko:Wow... my first masquerade!

(Music: something in between Paradise of Reminiscence, D1T14 and The One Who Shoots at the Sun, D1T17, I guess?)

D-ko:So this is a party organized by the Student Council?Wow, that chandelier is so high up!The food on the tables is all stuff I've never seen before, too...

Miki:Welcome, Himemiya-san, Tenjou-sempai.

D-ko:My heart just thumped... what a cute boy!He has such pretty eyes... they're like crystals.

Utena:Hey, Mickey.

Anthy:Thank you for the invitation.

Miki:Wow, Himemiya-san, your dress is so pretty!You look like a blooming flower.

Anthy:Why, thank you.

Utena:Yeah, and our masks are only stuck on so well because Himemiya knew how to do it.(It must be the power of love!)